Longboard Fin Choice and Set Up

General Discussion
1

ok guys so i finally got some waves yesterday!!!!!!!! even though they were super crapy.

i was on my 8'6 mini mal and I kept touching sand with a 7" fin :( its all scratched up now

its a 2+1 set up so i was wondering if i could just ride the bites or would that not work.

i was also wondering about what your best noserider fin is.

 I wanna try it out on the east coast soon but i always unlock my 7" from the wave.

thanks for the help :)

2

I've ridden just side bites. It's kinda slippery, but go ahead and give it a try. I don't understand how your fin was hitting the bottom, how shallow is it?

As for a nose rider fin. Lots of surface area, 9" + depth, long base, stiff. Go with minimal sweep to compensate for the lack of maneuverability. In the end you will get a fin that pivots and keeps you stable while noseriding

3

i basically live in the everglades so all the waves we get are on the beach and shallow. the sand bar is usually about a foot or two deep if i’m lucky. 

 

are the Joel Tudor Nuuihwa and the Rainbow Pivot good ones? which is better?

 

4

   Howzit gdog, I use FCS GX's for side biters and either a 5 1/2" or 6" center and the combo works on anything from ankle high to DOH. Used to pull the sidebiters if I wanted it really loose in the small waves.Aloha,Kokua

5

thanks kokua ill look into it.

6

It’s fun to ride with the side bites but they are more likely to break out if you bounce them of the bottom ( the 7" maye have been protecting them).

 

As for a noseriding fin, I would definately recommend the Rainbow Pivot over the Tudor Nuuihwa. The Nuuihwa is a great fin for big(9’6") heavy boards because is has the surface area to control all that weight. At 8’6" I doubt your board warrants a fin that size. I love the Rianbow rivot fin for noserides. Very stable and the upright posture keeps it loose at low speeds. A fin with more rake will be stable but a bit harder to turn when going slow. We have a category dedicated to noseriding fins and a few articles under fin theory you might want to check out on my site below.

Cheers.

7

if i can offer my suggestions…go for some larger Twin Fin versions of sidebites…

 

and for the Singlefin…yes…like the larger rainbow pivot or Long Rake…will turn that mini mal into more of a traditional board…

 

wingnut

8

what bites are good for that kind of thing? i took out my 7" and just used the two on friday and it was so fun.

 

i think i will get the pivot now thanks for the info. how ling should i get it?

 

thanks a ton :)

9

since your board is so small…the smaller 9’ pivot would work fine…

10

tthanks nutty i think i have my christmas gift this year